Telephone light



1934- J. A. MAXWELL 1,?71227 TELEPHONE LIGHT Filed Jan. so; 1953 Patented Aug. 21, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in illumination of the dials of automatic telephones.

The principal object of the invention is to provide for satisfactory illumination of the dial of an automatic telephone and the number or other printed matter carried centrally thereof and to accomplish this result without increasing the bulk of the device, affecting the electric circuits thereof or in any way noticeably altering the appearance of the instrument.

Other and more limited objects will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and will be more specifically pointed out in the claims.

Fig. 1 is a part sectional elevation of a French type telephone embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a view corresponding substantially to the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 omitting the shield member which covers the central portion of the dial; Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram showing the use of a dry cell for supplying current and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary wiring diagram which when taken in connection with Fig. 4 as hereinafter described shows the connections for the alternating current supply.

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral 10 indicates generally a telephone of the French type, which it is understood may be of the ordinary or other modified form consistent with the application of the improvements. This device is provided with a removable base 11 to which I secure clips 12 for holding a dry cell 13 securely in place. At the top of the member 10 is a cradle14 adapted to support a receiver and transmitter assembly and provided with a switch operating means 15 therewithin. It will be understood that suitable spring means is provided for normally urging the member 15 upwardly and that such spring will be of sufficiently low strength to be flexed by the weight of the transmitter-receiver assembly. While the mechanism within the element 10 has not been shown except insofar as necessary, it will be understood that the new structure is so positioned so as not to interfere either mechanically or electrically with such mechanism.

Secured to and insulated from a stationary element 16 are switch points 17 and 18. These are moved to closed position as, indicated in Fig. 1 when the receiver-transmitter assembly is removed and the switch operating means 15 rises to up position under the influence of the spring means already described, a finger 19 provided with an insulating pad 20 at the end thereof being provided for actuating the switch elements 17 and 18.

Running from the binding posts of the dry cell 13 are conductors 21 and 22. The conductor 22 is connected with the switch element 18 as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4. The conductor 21 runs to an electric light bulb 23 while the conductor 24 connects the contact 17 through a manual switch 25 to the other side of the electric light 23.

Secured to the member 10 is a cylindrical flange 26 through which extends the central post carrying the usual dial 2'7. Secured to the member 26 is a shield element 30 having a substantially right angular projection 28 secured at its lower end to the flange 26 as by screws 29 and affording mounting for the manual switch 25. The conductor 24 passes through the member 26 and runs to the switch 25 and thence along the restricted concave portion 30 of the member 27 to the socket 31 which supports the electric bulb. The conductor 21 passes without connection to the switch along the same path and connects to the tion or insert 32 upon which is printed or otherwise provided the telephone number and branch designation, if any, or the like.

Mounted within the flange 26 at the upper edge thereof, is the usual annular plate bearing the letters and numbers and terminating inwardly in an upturned flange 33. This flange in accordance with my invention has portions cut away, as

indicated at 33, opposite each set of letters and.

numbers whereby the light from the bulb 23 will not be prevented from illuminating the letters and numbers. The dial plate 2'7 which contains the openings 34 through which the finger of the operator is inserted for dialing a number is cut away opposite each finger opening as indicated at 35. It will be obvious that with the openings 35 and the notches 33* a clear opening will be provided for light from the bulb 23 to illuminate the indicia and that the telephone number or branch number may be illuminated by transmitted light from thesame bulb.

In Fig. 5 I have indicated a transformer 36 connected to a 110 volt line and adapted to be positioned on the telephone box which houses the ringing mechanism. The secondary of this transformer will be connected by a cable 37 which may run along the cable 38 between the instrument 10 and the box which houses the ringing mechanism and connect to the switch point 18 and the lamp 23 instead of the terminals of the battery as indicated in Fig. 4. In other words, the mechanism indicated in Fig. 5 is substituted for the battery 13, the conductors 21 and 22 being substituted for those 21 and 22 respectively.

From the foregoing, it will be obvious that I have provided a telephone illumination system which is well adapted for its intended purposes and while I have shown and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, I wish it understood that I am not' limited to the details disclosed but only in accordance with the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, I may substitute a resistance in series with the light in order to secure the necessary drop of potential instead of employing a transformer as indicated in Fig. 5. Other variations within the scope of my invention will readily suggest themselves.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination with a dial telephone instrument having the usual indicia bearing plate and dial provided with finger openings, an electric lamp mounted above said dial, said dial being provided with openings, one positioned inwardly of and corresponding to each of the finger openings, and means for energizing said lamp, said last means comprising a switch operated by lifting the receiver, and a source of current to which said switch and said lamp are connected in series.

2. In combination with a dial telephone instrument having the usual indicia bearing plate and dial provided with finger openings, a shield member connected with said instrument and extending above the central porton of said dial, a manual switch mounted on said shield member, an electric lamp carried thereby and connected in series with said switch, and means for supplying current to said lamp, said dial being provided with a series of openings positioned inwardly of said finger openings, one corresponding to each thereof and affording passage for light rays to the indicia of the indicia-bearing plate.

3. In combination with a dial telephone instrument having the usual indicia bearing plate and dial provided with finger openings, a shield member connected with said instrument and extend ing above the central portion-of said dial, a manual switch mounted on said shield member, an electric lamp carried thereby and connected in series with said switch, and means for supplying current to said lamp, said last means including a switch within said instrument and operated by .lifting the receiver therefrom, said dial being provided with a series of openings positioned inwardly of said finger openings, one corresponding to each thereof and affording passage for light rays to the indicia of the indicia-bearing plate.

4. In combination with a dial telephone instrument having the usual metal, indicia bearing plate and dial provided with finger openings, a shield member connected with said instrument and extending above the central portion of said metal plate, a manual switch mounted on said shield member, an electric lamp carried thereby centrally above said metal plate and connected in series with said switch, and means for supplying current to said lamp, said last meansdncluding a switch within the base of said instrument and operating by lifting the receiver therefrom, said dial being provided with a series of openings positioned inwardly of said finger openings, one corresponding to each thereof and according passage for direct light rays to the indicia of the plate indicia bearing plate from said centrally located lamp.

JOHN A. MAXWELL. 

